Nancy Pfister's sister seeks order against two former murder defendants

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Though first-degree murder charges against Nancy Styler and Katherine Carpenter were dismissed by the District Attorney’s Office last week, one of Nancy Pfister’s sisters is seeking a permanent restraining order against the two women.

Pitkin County District Court records show that Suzanne Pfister — who accused the media, including The Aspen Times, of an “invasion of privacy” in court on Friday minutes before William Styler admitted to acting alone in killing Nancy Pfister — is pursuing a civil court restraining order against Nancy Styler, William’s wife, and Carpenter, a former Aspen bank teller.

The Stylers, formerly of the Front Range, and Carpenter were arrested in connection with Nancy Pfister’s death in March and held in custody without bond. The Stylers were former tenants of Nancy Pfister’s West Buttermilk Road home while she was away on vacation. Carpenter has been described as a personal assistant and friend to Nancy Pfister for several years and helped her collect money from tenants.

Nancy Styler, 62, was arrested March 3 and released from the Eagle County Jail on June 17 after 106 days in custody. Carpenter, 56, was arrested March 14 and released from the Garfield County Jail on Friday after 96 days in custody. Authorities, including the District Attorney’s Office and the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office, are investigating whether Carpenter stole $6,000 from Nancy Pfister’s safe deposit box, local prosecutor Andrea Bryan said Tuesday.

Michael Wright, of Garson & Wright Public Relations in Parker, is a spokesman for Nancy Styler. Wright said his client would have no comment on Suzanne Pfister’s request.

The restraining-order request was transferred this week to the Garfield County Courthouse after Pitkin County Judge Erin Fernandez-Ely recused herself from the case. As of Tuesday, a hearing before Garfield County Judge Paul Metzger had not been scheduled.

“I have had confrontation with her in the past, she knows where I live, (and) I am afraid for myself and my son,” the request for a protection order against Carpenter said.

The request involving Nancy Styler is similar to the one relating to Carpenter. “She has been released and I am afraid for myself and my son,” Suzanne Pfister wrote.

She sought to have her request suppressed from public access. “I also want to protect my public privacy, which has been invaded by the press for months,” she said.

On Thursday, the same day he agreed to two temporary protection orders, Garfield County District Judge John Neiley also ruled that the files would remain an open record.

As for the theft Carpenter allegedly committed, Lord said her client hasn’t stolen anything and that both Carpenter and Nancy Pfister had full authorization to access each other’s safe deposit boxes.

“If the prosecution can prove that she stole something, then they should charge her,” Lord said.

Nancy Pfister was 57 when her body was found in a closet inside her home on Feb. 24. Prosecutors said William Styler, a former anesthesiologist, hit her in the head with a hammer as she slept. District Judge James Boyd sentenced him to 20 years in state prison following his guilty plea Friday morning.

Nancy Pfister and William Styler were involved in a dispute over money she claimed he owed her, prosecutors have said.